5 is slightly better. and i stress slightly. it's also quite a bit more expensive. i would only get 5 if i needed the absolute best for a particular application. otherwise 3 is still one of the best and a lot cheaper.

I went to arctic 5 from 3. 5 is thicker than 3 and won't get as liquidy as 3. This means that you won't have to replace it like you do with 3. 5 thickens with time and becomes somewhat like a thermal pad. My cpu temp dropped 3 degrees c. and the temp is more stable not going up under load as much with arctic 5. Yes it is more expensive but I think more than worth it.

I went to arctic 5 from 3. 5 is thicker than 3 and won't get as liquidy as 3. This means that you won't have to replace it like you do with 3. 5 thickens with time and becomes somewhat like a thermal pad. My cpu temp dropped 3 degrees c. and the temp is more stable not going up under load as much with arctic 5. Yes it is more expensive but I think more than worth it.

Click to expand...

My Arctic Silver 3 has been on my OC'd CPU for almost three years without any problems. Arctic Silver 3 is also a thick compound and changes properties in 48 hours or so when applied to the CPU and properly mixed. Are you sure your's wasn't seperated or a fake tube?

5 is thicker than 3 and won't get as liquidy as 3. This means that you won't have to replace it like you do with 3.

Click to expand...

i've had as3 applied for over two years on a video card when i took it off it looked pretty much like it did when i applied it. just a little thicker, which probably happened within th first 48 hours of applying it. i don't think it should need re-applying after a set amount of time.

My Arctic Silver 3 has been on my OC'd CPU for almost three years without any problems. Arctic Silver 3 is also a thick compound and changes properties in 48 hours or so when applied to the CPU and properly mixed. Are you sure your's wasn't seperated or a fake tube?

It doesn't matter how it looks. It's the thermal properties that are reduced over time. You are welcome to go to the AMD website to read a more detailed explanation. Arctic Silver 3 was intended for people who remove heatsinks and/or processors often, such as hobbiests or developers. AMD recommends using a thermal pad for long term installations, which I think is crap. With Arctic 5 the properties are more stable and do not break down with time. I know that with my setup, the processor temps do go up over time, not much, 1 or 2 degrees only, using Arctic 3. Don't know how Arctic 5 will behave over time, but so far, I like it better than 3. It's suppose to be a different formulation than 3. It is thicker and darker in color. I guess only time will tell if it is better.